Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed

After the death of her father, Maribel (Maribel Felpeto) and her mother, Alejandra (Alejandra Cánepa), assume control of his underground betting business that he’s run for decades. However, news about similar illicit operations being raided by the police causes things to unravel, with the latest rumours suggesting their establishment is next.

Written and directed by Hernán Rosselli, Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed (the Argentinian filmmaker’s third feature) is a grand crime thriller akin to one of Scorsese’s gangster movies. There’s plenty of intrigue woven throughout the script as the family and their associates work to discern the truth behind the rumours while facing the possibility of a future behind bars. However, its lacklustre ending dulls the impact of an otherwise exquisitely crafted drama.

Unlike conventional crime films, Something Borrowed takes a step back from the violence to become a more meditative piece on the family’s relationships with each other alongside their working-class background. A selection of clips from old home movies are interspersed throughout for Maribel to tell the story of how her parents met and how her dad would eventually create his small empire. Complete with a soothing synth score, these vignettes help to ease viewers into this feature’s gentle pace while serving as the backbone for the main themes in addition to surfacing secrets surrounding her father’s fate.

By combining the found footage of the home movies (in addition to some CCTV video) with a stripped-back approach to its visual presentation, Rosselli brings a tangible naturalism to his latest feature that grounds his plot and characters within reality without sacrificing any of the beauty from the wondrous cinematography. The genius of Something Borrowed lies in the filmmaker’s removal of the grit and romanticism that the genre is known for to show these characters as vulnerable and scared people.

There are some drawbacks to the slower pacing. Although this approach to the genre makes for an enthralling familial portrait, the lack of urgency and action driving the plot results in an anticlimactic ending, which comes and goes without much fanfare. Despite this unfortunate side effect, Rosselli’s intimate family drama is a fascinating spin on familiar territory.

Andrew Murray

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Cannes Film Festival 2024 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Cannes Film Festival website here.